Inventor · 1400 – 1468
Johannes Gutenberg
Invented the European movable-type printing press and printed the famous Gutenberg Bible, making books affordable and abundant and triggering a revolution in literacy, religion, science and culture.
Greatest Achievements
- Built the first European movable-type printing press.
- Printed the Gutenberg Bible, the first major book produced with movable type in the West.
Major Accomplishments
- Built the first European movable-type printing press.
- Printed the Gutenberg Bible, the first major book produced with movable type in the West.
Discoveries
- A practical system of reusable movable metal type.
- An oil-based printing ink suited to metal type.
Impact Analysis
Gutenberg's press is often ranked the most important invention of the millennium, democratizing knowledge and enabling the rapid spread of ideas that powered the Renaissance, the Reformation and modern science.
Historical influence score: 93/100